AmaHasmon Nefa Lawo

NGESIKHATHI uJesu esemhlabeni, ubuJuda babuhlukene bungamaqembu alwayo, wonke encintisana ngokuba nethonya kubantu. Leso yisimo esivezwa ekulandiseni kwamaVangeli nasemibhalweni yesazi-mlando sekhulu lokuqala, uJosephus.

AbaFarisi nabaSadusi babonakala lapha benethonya elinamandla, bekwazi ukuthonya umbono womphakathi kuze kube seqophelweni lokwenqaba uJesu njengoMesiya. (Mathewu 15:1, 2; 16:1; Johane 11:47, 48; 12:42, 43) Nokho, akukho lapho imiBhalo YesiHeberu ikhuluma khona ngala maqembu amabili anethonya.

UJosephus ukhuluma okokuqala ngabaSadusi nabaFarisi sekusekhulwini lesibili B.C.E. Phakathi nale nkathi, amaJuda amaningi ayenqotshwa ukukhanga kobuHellenism, okungukuthi, isiko nefilosofi yamaGreki. Ukungezwani phakathi kobuHellenism nobuJuda kwafinyelela umvuthwandaba lapho ababusi baseSeleucid bengcolisa ithempeli eJerusalema, belinikezela kuZeus. Umholi ongumJuda onamandla uMaccabee wasemndenini owaziwa ngokuthi amaHasmon, wahola ibutho labavukeli elakhulula ithempeli ezandleni zamaGreki. *

Iminyaka eyalandela ukuvukela kwamaMaccabee nokunqoba kwawo yayiphawuleka ngokuthambekela kokuqamba amahlelo ayesekelwe emibonweni yokuncintisana, ngalinye lincintisana namanye ukuze lizuze abantu abaningi emphakathini wamaJuda. Kodwa kungani kwavela lokhu kuthambekela? Kungani ubuJuda bahlukana kangaka? Ukuze siphendule, ake sihlole umlando wamaHasmon.

Ukuzimela Nokuhlukana Phakathi Okwandayo

Ngemva kokufinyelela umgomo wakhe ongokwenkolo wokubuyisela ukukhulekela ethempelini likaJehova, uJudah Maccabee waphendukela kwezombangazwe. Ngenxa yalokho, amaJuda amaningi amhlamuka, ayeka ukumlandela. Noma kunjalo, waqhubeka elwa nabaholi bamaSeleucid, wenza isivumelwano neRoma futhi wafuna ukumisa iSifundazwe SamaJuda esizimele. Ngemva kokufa kukaJudah empini, abafowabo oJonathan noSimon baqhubeka nomzabalazo. Ekuqaleni ababusi bamaSeleucid bawaphikisa kakhulu amaMaccabee. Kodwa ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, laba babusi bavuma ukuxegisa okuthile kwezombangazwe, bavumela izelamani zamaHasmon ukuba zizibuse ngezinga elithile.

Nakuba bengabozalo lobupristi, akekho umHasmon owake wakhonza esikhundleni sompristi ophakeme. AmaJuda amaningi ayenomuzwa wokuthi lesi sikhundla kwakumelwe sithathwe abapristi bozalo lukaZadoki, owayebekwe uSolomoni  njengompristi ophakeme. (1 AmaKhosi 2:35; Hezekeli 43:19) UJonathan wasebenzisa impi nokuhlakanipha ukuze athonye amaSeleucid ukuba ambeke njengompristi ophakeme. Kodwa ngemva kokufa kukaJonathan, umfowabo uSimon wafeza okwengeziwe. Ngo-September 140 B.C.E., kwakhishwa isimemezelo esibalulekile eJerusalema, esasiqoshwe ngesiGreki ezingcwecweni zethusi: “INkosi uDemetrius [umbusi wamaSeleucid ongumGreki] umqinisile [uSimon] ebupristini obuphakeme, wamenza omunye waBangane bakhe, futhi wamnika udumo oluphakeme. . . . AmaJuda nabapristi bawo asenqume ukuthi uSimon kumelwe abe ngumholi wawo nompristi ophakeme phakade, kuze kuvele umprofethi onokwethenjwa.”—1 Maccabees 14:38-41 (incwadi yomlando ekuyi-Apocrypha).

Isikhundla sikaSimon njengombusi nanjengompristi ophakeme—yena nenzalo yakhe—asigcinanga nje kuphela ngokuvunyelwa yigunya lobuSeleucid lakwelinye izwe kodwa “nayiNhlangano Ephakeme” yabantu bakubo. Lesi kwaba isikhathi soshintsho esibalulekile. Isazi-mlando u-Emil Schürer sathi, kudala uhlanga lwamakhosi ezombangazwe lwabekwa ngamaHasmon, “ayengasakukhathalele ngokuyinhloko ukugcwaliseka kweTorah [uMthetho wamaJuda] kodwa ayekhathalela ukuzinza nokwandiswa kwamandla awo ezombangazwe.” Nokho, ezama ngazo zonke izindlela ukungawacasuli amaJuda, uSimon wayesebenzisa isiqu esithi “umholi wabantu,” kunokuthi “inkosi.”

Akubona bonke abakujabulela ukuthatha izintambo komHasmon alawule kokubili ngokwenkolo nangokwezombangazwe. Ngokwezazi eziningi, umphakathi wamaQumran wakheka phakathi nale nkathi. Umpristi wozalo lukaZadoki, owayekholelwa ukuthi nguyena okubhekiselwa kuye emibhalweni yeQumran “njengoMfundisi Wokulunga,” walishiya iJerusalema futhi wahola iqembu eliphikisayo eqonde oGwadule lwakwaJuda ngasoLwandle Olufile. Omunye wemiQulu yasoLwandle Olufile, incwadi ehlaziya incwadi kaHabakuki, ulahla “umPristi Omubi owayebizwe ngeqiniso ekuqaleni, kodwa lapho esebusa ama-Israyeli, waba nenhliziyo eqhoshayo.” Izazi eziningi zikholelwa ukuthi uJonathan noma uSimon babeyifanelekela kahle incazelo yehlelo ‘yomPristi Omubi’ obusayo.

USimon waqhubeka nomkhankaso wempi wokwandisa indawo ayeyibusa. Nokho, umbuso wakhe waphela ngokuzumayo lapho umkhwenyana wakwakhe, uPtolemy, embulala kanye namadodana akhe amabili lapho besedilini eduze kwaseJeriko. Lo mzamo wakhe [uPtolemy] wokubamba izintambo zokubusa wabhuntsha. UJohn Hyrcanus, indodana kaSimon eyayisele, waxwayiswa ngomzamo wokuba abulawe. Wababamba ababefuna ukumbulala futhi wabusa njengomholi nanjengompristi ophakeme esikhundleni sikayise.

Ukwanda Nokucindezelwa Okwengeziwe

Ekuqaleni, uJohn Hyrcanus wabhekana nokusongelwa okushaqisayo ngamabutho aseSiriya, kodwa ngo-129 B.C.E., amakhosi amaSeleucid ehlulwa empini ebalulekile namaParthian. Ngokuphathelene nethonya lale mpi kumaSeleucid, isazi esingumJuda, uMenahem Stern sabhala: “Isimiso sonke sombuso sawohloka.” Ngaleyo ndlela, uHyrcanus “wakwazi ukukubuyisela ngokuphelele ukuzimela kwezombangazwe kwaseJudiya futhi waqala ukwanda ngezindlela ezihlukahlukene.” Futhi wanda ngempela.

Engasavinjiwe usongo lwabaseSiriya, uHyrcanus waqala ukuhlasela izindawo ezingaphandle kweJudiya, ezinqoba zonke. Kwakudingeka izakhamuzi zalapho ziphendukele ebuJudeni, ngaphandle kwalokho amadolobha azo ayeyodliwa umlilo. Omunye umkhankaso onjalo wabhekiswa kwabase-Idumaea (abakwa-Edomi). UStern waphawula ngawo: “Ukuguqulwa kwabase-Idumaea kwakuqala ngqá, kwaguqulwa isizwe sonke kunokuba kuguqulwe abantu abambalwa.” Enye yezindawo ezanqotshwa, yiSamariya, lapho uHyrcanus achitha khona ithempeli lamaSamariya elaliseNtabeni iGerizimu. Sibonisa ukuba yihlaya kwale nqubo yokuguqula abantu ngendluzula eyenziwa ababusi bamaHasmon, isazi-mlando uSolomon Grayzel sabhala: “Nangu umzukulu kaMattathias [uyise kaJudah Maccabee] ephula sona kanye isimiso—senkululeko engokwenkolo—esasivikelwe yisizukulwane sangaphambili ngobuhlakani obungaka.”

 Ukuvela KwabaFarisi NabaSadusi

Kungesikhathi ebhala ngokubusa kukaHyrcanus lapho uJosephus aqala khona ukukhuluma ngethonya elandayo labaFarisi nabaSadusi. (UJosephus wayekhulume ngabaFarisi ababephila phakathi nokubusa kukaJonathan.) Akakhulumi ngemvelaphi yabo. Ezinye izazi zibabheka njengeqembu elavela kubuHasidim, ihlelo elalisekela uJudah Maccabee emigomweni yakhe engokwenkolo, kodwa lamshiya lapho imigomo yakhe isiguqukela kwezombangazwe.

Igama elithi abaFarisi ngokuvamile lihlotshaniswa nomsuka wencazelo yokuqala yesiHeberu esho “abahlukanisiwe,” nakuba abanye belibheka njengelihlobene negama elithi “abahumushi.” AbaFarisi babeyizifundiswa ezivela kubantu abavamile, bengaveli ozalweni olukhethekile. Bazihlukanisa bona enqubweni engahlanzekile ngefilosofi yokukhonza okukhethekile, besebenzisa imithetho yethempeli yobungcwele bobupristi ezimweni ezivamile zokuphila kwansuku zonke. AbaFarisi baqala indlela entsha yokuhumusha imiBhalo nalokho kamuva okwaziwa ngokuthi umthetho odluliselwa ngomlomo. Phakathi nokubusa kukaSimon, baba nethonya kakhudlwana lapho abanye babo bemiswa kuyiGerousia (umkhandlu wamadoda amadala), eyaziwa kamuva ngokuthi iSanhedrini.

UJosephus ulandisa ukuthi uJohn Hyrcanus ekuqaleni wayengumfundi nomsekeli wabaFarisi. Nokho, ngokuhamba kwesikhathi abaFarisi bamsola ngokungasiyeki isikhundla sakhe sompristi ophakeme. Lokhu kwaholela oqhekekweni. UHyrcanus wenza ukuba imithetho yenkolo emiswa abaFarisi ingabi semthethweni. Njengesijeziso esengeziwe, wamukela abaphikisi abangokwenkolo babaFarisi, abaSadusi.

Igama elithi abaSadusi cishe lihlobene nomPristi Ophakeme uZadoki, uzalo lwakhe obelulokhu lusesikhundleni sobupristi kusukela esikhathini sikaSolomoni. Nokho, akubona bonke abaSadusi ababevela kulolu zalo. NgokukaJosephus, abaSadusi babeyizikhulu namadoda acebile esizwe, futhi uquqaba lwabantu lwalungabasekeli. Uprofesa Schiffman uthi: “Iningi labo . . . ngokusobala lalingabapristi noma labo ababeshade nemindeni yasebupristini obuphakeme.” Ngaleyo ndlela base benesikhathi eside behlangene neziphathimandla. Ngakho-ke, indima eyandayo yabaFarisi emphakathini nombono wobuFarisi wokufaka ubungcwele obufana nobobupristi kubo bonke abantu kwathathwa njengosongo olwalungase luchithe igunya labaSadusi elingokwemvelo. Manje, eminyakeni yokugcina yokubusa kukaHyrcanus, abaSadusi baphinde baphatha izintambo.

Ukwanda Kwezombangazwe Okwengeziwe, Ukuncipha Kokuzinikela Enkolweni

Indodana kaHyrcanus endala, u-Aristobulus, wabusa unyaka owodwa nje vó ngaphambi kokufa kwakhe. Waqhubeka nenqubo yokuguqula abantu base-Ituraea ngempoqo futhi wafaka iGalile engenhla ngaphansi kokuphatha kwamaHasmon. Kodwa ngaphansi kokubusa komfowabo u-Alexander Jannaeus, owabusa kusukela ngo-103-76 B.C.E., amandla okubusa amakhosi angamaHasmon afinyelela umvuthwandaba.

 U-Alexander Jannaeus wenqaba inqubo yangaphambili wazimisa njengompristi ophakeme nenkosi. Ukungqubuzana phakathi kwamaHasmon nabaFarisi kwaqina, kwaze kwaholela empini yombango lapho kwafa khona amaJuda angu-50 000. Lapho ukuvukela sekuqediwe, njengesenzo esifana nesamakhosi angamaqaba, uJannaeus waphanyeka amavukela mbuso angu-800. Lapho esezobulawa, amakhosikazi nezingane zawo abulawa ebhekile, kuyilapho uJannaeus nezancinza zakhe bezitika ngedili obala. *

Naphezu kwenzondo ayenayo ngabaFarisi, uJannaeus wayeyisazi sezombangazwe esinekhono. Wabona ukuthi ukusekelwa kwabaFarisi ngabantu kwakwanda. Umyalo awunika umkakhe uSalom Alexandra, lapho esezokufa, kwakuwukuba ahlanganyele ukubusa nabo. UJannaeus wayekhethe yena (uSalome Alexandra) esikhundleni samadodana akhe ukuba athathe isikhundla embusweni wakhe. Wabonakala engumbusi onekhono, ebangela ukuba isizwe sijabulele enye yezinkathi ezinokuthula kakhulu ngaphansi kokubusa kwamaHasmon (ngo-76-67 B.C.E.). AbaFarisi babuyiselwa ezikhundleni zokuba iziphathimandla, futhi imithetho eyayibekiwe ngokumelene nezimiso zabo zenkolo yasuswa.

Lapho uSalome efa, amadodana akhe uHyrcanus II, owayekhonze njengompristi ophakeme no-Aristobulus II baqala ukulwela ukuphatha. Bobabili babentula ukuqonda okhokho babo ababenakho kwezombangazwe nakwezempi, futhi kubonakala sengathi akekho kubo owayekuqonda ngokugcwele ukukhula kombuso wamaRoma ezweni ngemva kokuwa ngokuphelele kombuso wobuSeleucid. Ngo-63 B.C.E., zombili lezi zelamani zaphendukela kumbusi waseRoma uPompey ngesikhathi eseDamaseku futhi zamcela ukuba abalamule. Ngawo lowo nyaka, uPompey nebutho lakhe bangena eJerusalema futhi bawuthatha umbuso. Lokho kwakuwukuqala kokuphela kombuso wamaHasmon. Ngo-37 B.C.E., iJerusalem lanqotshwa iNkosi engum-Idumaea, iNkosi uHerode Omkhulu, owayamukelwe iSigele saseRoma ‘njengeNkosi yaseJudea,’ “umlekeleli nomngane wabantu baseRoma.” Kwaphela kanjalo ngombuso wamaHasmon.

Ifa LamaHasmon

Inkathi yamaHasmon, kusukela kuJudah Maccabee kuya ku-Aristobulus II, yabeka isisekelo sezinkolo ezihlukene phakathi ezazikhona lapho uJesu esemhlabeni. AmaHasmon ayeqale ngentshiseko ukukhulekela uNkulunkulu, kodwa lokho kwaqhubeka kuwohloka kwaze kwaholela ekubuseni okuxhaphazayo kobugovu. Abapristi bawo, ababenethuba lokwenza abantu babe munye ukuze balandele uMthetho kaNkulunkulu, baholela isizwe kwalasha wokulwa kwezombangazwe. Esimweni esinjalo, imibono engokwenkolo ehlukanisayo yanda. AmaHasmon ayengasekho, kodwa umzabalazo wokubusa okungokwenkolo phakathi kwabaSadusi nabaFarisi, nabanye wawuyisici sesizwe manje esase singaphansi kukaHerode neRoma.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

[Ishadi ekhasini 30]

(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)

Uhlu Lwababusi BamaHasmon

UJudah Maccabee UJonathan Maccabee USimon Maccabee

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UJohn Hyrcanus

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USalome Alexandra — washada no- — Alexander Jannaeus Aristobulus

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UHyrcanus II U-Aristobulus II

[Isithombe ekhasini 27]

UJudah Maccabee wayefuna ukuba amaJuda athole inkululeko

[Umthombo]

The Doré Bible Illustrations/Dover Publications, Inc.

[Isithombe ekhasini 29]

AmaHasmon ayelwa ukuze aphathe amadolobha angewona awamaJuda

[Umthombo]

The Doré Bible Illustrations/Dover Publications, Inc.